The coin contest was open to all Big Island students in grades K to 12, including homeschooled children. Students were asked to make a drawing for a design that can go on a coin. The drawing had to represent Maunakea and include different aspects of this majestic mountain: its environment, astronomy, and the culture. 

 

Over 175 entries were received and divided into categories: grades K-4, 5-8, 9-12. Three judges selected for each category a First, Second, and Third place winner. The judges used their area of expertise to make their selection. Dr. Nadine Manset is a resident astronomer at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and chair of MKAOC. Leilehua Yuen and Jean Ku‘ulei Bezilla are experts in the Hawaiian and local culture. There were so many creative designs that four Special mentions were also awarded!

 

The nine category winners' designs were sent to our Grand Judge, Aly Clark, artist and telescope operator at the East Asian Observatory. She says that the top winning design "has the overall best talent displayed in composition and draftsmanship, and shows the mountain, hawaiian constellations for astronomy and culture, and indigenous flora and fauna of the mountain clearly." The winner is Momoka Ioh, who is in 7th grade at the Innovations Public Charter School.

 

 

The Overall Second Place winner is Maxine Kilgore, who "packs everything in there (mountain, telescopes, indigenous culture, constellations, the lehua flower) and does it all without being too busy." The Overall Third Place winner is Tallen Kiriu, with a design that "has the mountain, telescopes, and a native nene and ohia trees. The understanding of foreground vs. background shows that this obviously very young artist has already developed a basic understanding of dynamic and interesting composition."

 

 

All winning designs are presented in the Virtual Awards Ceremony on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

A poster also showcases all winners.